All Categories
Featured
Table of Contents
Inform strategy with evidence: Use independent information on market self-confidence, growth, and customer demand to direct your strategic direction. Verify investment plans: Make sure resource allotment and initiatives are backed by reputable market insight. Accelerate confident choices: Equip members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach agreement rapidly and take definitive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA between the GCC and the UK is a Significant Strategic Chance to Elevate Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Statement on Economic Cooperation In Between the Association of the Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)," May 2025 3 IMEC, "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Progress Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA program strengthens global financial ties with 26 tactical agreements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign free trade pact 'extremely soon'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA plans to at least double yearly United States financial investments over next years," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE financial investments in Africa position country as world's fourth-largest financier," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Fact Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards across Africa are entering a defining cycle. Capital is tighter. Scrutiny is greater. Danger is more interconnected. And the quality of conference room judgment will progressively figure out which organisations sustain growth and which fall behind. In response, Ascent Club, a presence launchpad curating gain access to and chances for board- and C-level ladies, in collaboration with BusinessDay, is launching a brand-new regular monthly boardroom dialogue convening accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and corporate leadership and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session brings together board professionals to examine the real pressures forming board programs today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Dangers and Priorities Forming 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Evolving regulatory and governance expectations Technology interruption and cyber durability Long-term worth production and sustainability imperatives Management choices boards must prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent members and speakers consist of: Moderator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Handling Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.
Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is a convening of executives contributing straight to governance, danger oversight, and strategic direction within their organisations. Through this partnership, Climb Club and BusinessDay are deliberately developing a repeating online forum that surface areas board-level insight, amplifies trustworthy female governance voices, and broadens access to the tactical thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
Get the most current insights, patterns, and techniques provided straight to your inbox. Sign up with Everest Group's newsletter to remain at the forefront of what's next.
The GCC ETF market entered Q1 2026 in a combination stage, with activity staying elevated but development slowing. Total possessions held broadly steady over the quarter, while trading levels indicated continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful new capital implementation. Worldwide macro conditions set a tough background.
The result was a quarter specified by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, instead of a clear directional pattern. Oil related possessions succeeded for the most part. On the positive side, in January, the Boreas Outright Luxury ETF launched on ADX to add more thematic ETFs. Likewise in Q1, two more Kraneshares have actually been authorized for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and will be authorized by the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange (ADX). The GCC ETF universe made up 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Performance throughout the market was broadly negative, with only 13 ETFs providing favorable returns compared to 26 in decrease. Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, rather than broad market strength.
Egypt provided strong efficiency in January and February. Despite a market pullback in March due to the war, both Egypt's market and its ETFs still posted favorable returns for the quarter. The continuous Middle East dispute and resulting energy shock have reshaped the outlook for emerging market equities between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector also dealt with wider macro headwinds, including a more cautious policy background in China and worldwide risk-off belief driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy costs. Thematic ETFs likewise had a hard time for the a lot of part, especially those connected to carbon and high-growth technology, as valuation pressures and worldwide rate dynamics weighed on efficiency.
Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely concentrated, reflecting selective allotment rather than broad market participation. Despite weak efficiency, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a little number of products drawing in brand-new capital.
Trading activity stayed consistent, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, focused in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. Most activity appears to have taken place in the secondary market, making it possible for investors to adjust positions without considerable main creations or redemptions.
In January, Boreas launched its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, adding a specific niche thematic direct exposure focused on global high-end and consumer brands. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some development relating to ETFs in the GCC. We expect more worldwide and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the conflict has actually impacted sentiment and prices throughout the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in local assets.
Regardless of continuous geopolitical stress and security dangers throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to demonstrate strength, keeping favorable development momentum over the last few years. While conflicts in the wider region and worldwide financial uncertainty remain a structural restraint, GCC nations have up until now restricted their effect on domestic economic performance through strong financial positions, policy continuity, and sustained investment.
Latest Posts
How to Utilize Market Intelligence for Growth
How to Deploy Advanced Strategies in 2026
Can the GCC Sustain Industrial Growth during 2026?


